Category Archives: Immunology

Immunology

The Coronavirus Fighter: ‘Science will get us out of this’ – 10News

LA JOLLA (KGTV) - We are battling an invisible enemy with COVID-19, but scientists will eventually defeat it.

One of the best virus fighters in the world is here in San Diego.

Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire is an immunologist who once led an international effort to defeat Ebola. She is now directing another worldwide team to do the same to beat coronavirus.

"It's like the introduction of smallpox into the new world," Saphire says from an office outside her lab in La Jolla.

She's describing how native American's must have reacted during the 1500s when Europeans brought the smallpox pandemic into the new world. The emergence of coronavirus is as unusual to us today.

"When there's a spillover event, and it's something new to us, and we have no prior immunity, and we have no defenses, it tends to expand and explode," adds Ollmann Saphire.

The San Diego immunologist directs a worldwide consortium from here at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology.

Ollmann Saphire oversees a global team that operates in 50 labs on five continents. They're job it is to save the world -- they study the virus and find a way to defeat it.

"This is the most exciting area of science, and the tools, the strategies, and the collaborations that we have to move against something novel are incredible," says Ollmann Saphire. "The data sharing is unprecedented."

But the work takes time. It will be at least a year before a vaccine is created, maybe longer.

We asked Dr. Ollmann Sapher for her expertise about the warm weather theory. Does it slow the virus? She explains that viruses such as the cold and flu do have seasonal patterns.

"You are more likely to get infected with many things in January than you are in June," says Ollmann Saphire.

But she adds new emergent viruses such as COVID-19 are unpredictable, which could make warm weather ineffective. Staying at home and social distancing are most effective in preventing the spread and contracting the virus.

"If we've all been shut up in the spring and we go out and interact with each other in the summer, you can expect the virus is going to keep spreading and expanding," says Ollmann Saphire. "Until we have something that gives us immunity, we're not immune."

And then there is something called herd immunity. Essentially, if you have enough people who get the virus and recover, it creates something similar to a fire-break blocking the spread of the virus. But you would need about 200 million immune American's for that to be possible.

As of April 27, we know of about one million confirmed cases, maybe more.

"And if there are ten times as we don't know about that we do know about, that's maybe 6 million are immune as a guess. That's a long way to go between 6 million and 200 million."

And finally, we asked about a message of hope from a scientist's perspective. How will we find a way through this?

"Science is what is going to get us out of this," adds Ollmann Saphire emphatically.

The Coronavirus Immunotherapy Consortium (CoVIC) is a global partnership to accelerate discovery, optimization, and delivery of life-saving antibody-based therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2, and is supported by the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Here is the original post:
The Coronavirus Fighter: 'Science will get us out of this' - 10News

Immunology

Secarna Pharmaceuticals Enters Into Cooperation with Guangzhou’s Sun Yat-sen University to Develop a Treatment for SARS-CoV-2 Viral Infections -…

MUNICH/MARTINSRIED, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2020 / Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG ("Secarna"), a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the discovery and development of next generation antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies to address challenging or previously undruggable targets via its LNAplusTM platform, today announced that the Company has entered into a cooperation with the First Affiliated Hospital at Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) for the development of a treatment or prophylactic for SARS-CoV-2 viral infections. Under this agreement, Secarna will employ its proprietary LNAplusTM platform to develop antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) which specifically suppress the expression of a certain host factor that is essential for the viral infection cycle.

Secarna's approach to target host factors is beneficial compared to other approaches targeting the virus directly, as most viruses are known to evade targeted therapies by mutation over time. This risk could be completely avoided by targeting host factors. Additionally, different viruses often depend on common host factors. Therefore, a therapy addressing a host factor linked to existing or emerging viruses could potentially also serve as a treatment against future challenges.

The feasibility of Secarna's concept was already successfully demonstrated in 20191. In this study, Secarna employed its LNAplusTM platform to develop ASOs targeting the host factor NPC1 to efficiently reduce Ebola virus infection in vitro. The approach's applicability to SARS-CoV-2 is currently being evaluated by Prof. Claus Bachert at the University of Ghent in Belgium and the First Affiliated Hospital at Guangzhou Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU).

"We are very excited to be working together with Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University and leveraging our proprietary technology to develop LNAplusTM-based ASOs to potentially tackle SARS-CoV-2 infections. By targeting a host factor essential to the viral infection cycle, we hope to prevent the infection of cells and viral spread," said Jonas Renz, Managing Director and Co-founder of Secarna Pharmaceuticals.

Prof. Claus Bachert added: "This international cooperation is combining an innovative development platform with specific translational laboratory skills and the access to patients in a unique way."

About Secarna's proprietary drug discovery platform, LNAplusTM

Secarna's proprietary third-generation antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) platform, LNAplusTM, which encompasses all aspects of drug discovery and pre-clinical development, enables the company to discover novel antisense-based therapies for challenging or currently undruggable targets.Secarna's platform and ASOs have previously been validated by numerous in-house projects as well as in several academic and industry collaborations. With over 15 development programs focusing on targets in indications such as immuno-oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, as well as viral-, neurodegenerative- and cardiometabolic diseases, where antisense-based approaches have clear benefits compared to other therapeutic modalities, Secarna is the leading independent European antisense drug discovery and development company.

About Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG

Secarna Pharmaceuticals is the next generation antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) company with multiple innovative antisense therapies in various stages of pre-clinical development in the areas of immuno-oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, as well as viral-, neurodegenerative- and cardiometabolic diseases. Secarna's mission is to maximize the performance and output of its proprietary LNAplusTM antisense oligonucleotide discovery platform, as well as to develop highly specific, safe, and efficacious best-in-class antisense therapies for challenging or currently not druggable targets. http://www.secarna.com

Contact

Jonas RenzManaging Director and Co-founderJonas.Renz@secarna.com

Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KGAm Klopferspitz 1982152 Planegg/MartinsriedTel.: +49 (0)89 215 46 375

For media enquiries:

Anne Hennecke/Vera LangMC Services AGsecarna@mc-services.euTel.: +49 (0)211.52 92 52 22

[1] Sadewasser A, et al. "Anti-Niemann Pick C1 Single-Stranded Oligonucleotides with Locked Nucleic Acides Potently Reduce Ebola Virus Infection In Vitro." Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, vol. 16, 2019, pp. 686-697.

SOURCE: Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/587353/Secarna-Pharmaceuticals-Enters-Into-Cooperation-with-Guangzhous-Sun-Yat-sen-University-to-Develop-a-Treatment-for-SARS-CoV-2-Viral-Infections

Follow this link:
Secarna Pharmaceuticals Enters Into Cooperation with Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University to Develop a Treatment for SARS-CoV-2 Viral Infections -...

Immunology

Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral – Canada NewsWire

MONTREAL, April 27, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ -The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral is creating an Emergency Fund to support its research activities and is launching an appeal for solidarity.

IRIC is being deeply impacted by the forced stoppage of part of its activities as a result of the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of its core facilities, which represent a major monthly financial resource for the Institute, have had to cease part of their activities. The future of young investigators and the completion of several promising projects are therefore greatly jeopardized.

To make up for the critical shortfall caused by the temporary stoppage of certain research work, IRIC has created an Emergency Fundand is launching an appeal for solidarity.

Research is vital to help us fight diseases like cancer, or currently COVID-19. Many of the Institute's researchers possessing multipurpose and complementary skills have also been called upon to contribute to research on this new virus. They are working tirelessly to accelerate the advancement of knowledge and to find creative solutions to fight this pandemic. Their expertise, which includes the fields of bioinformatics, genomics and medicinal chemistry, is being harnessed in the hope to find innovative therapeutic solutions to fight COVID-19.

More than ever, IRIC needs help to continue its mission and is launching an appeal for generosity. The Institute is well aware that the current situation poses collective health issues as well as economic issues. Moreover, it's with small and major donations that its investigators will be able to make the difference. Each contribution counts to support the research carried out at IRIC and contributes to finding new solutions against cancer and, currently, against COVID-19.

In these challenging times and this period of great instability, IRIC would like to extend its warmest thanks for the support of its donors so that together, we can make a difference and overcome this extraordinary ordeal.

About the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

An ultra-modern research hub and training centre located in the heart of the Universit de Montral, the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of the Universit de Montral was created in 2003 to shed light on the mechanisms of cancer and discover new, more effective therapies to counter this disease. The IRIC operates according to a model that is unique in Canada. Its innovative approach to research has already led to discoveries that will, over the coming years, have a significant impact on the fight against cancer.

SOURCE Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral

For further information: IRIC contacts: Catherine CARDINAL, Communications Director, IRIC, (514) 220-9209, [emailprotected]; Sandy THIBERT, Communication Public and Government Relations Advisor, IRIC, (514) 206-5420, [emailprotected]

http://www.iric.ca

See the original post here:
Creation of an Emergency Fund for the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral - Canada NewsWire

Immunology

Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology – Health Essentials from…

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D.

Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed director of the Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology at Cleveland Clinic.

A renowned immuno-oncology and cancer genomics expert, Dr. Chan leads the new center which brings together multidisciplinary experts from across the Cleveland Clinic enterprise to advance research and treatment related to the rapidly growing field of immuno-oncology.

The center will comprise four arms, including a Cleveland cell therapy program in collaboration with the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and will recruit national and international experts in computational science, immunotherapy and cancer immunology. The new center will initially have sites in Cleveland and the soon-to-open Cleveland Clinic Florida Research and Innovation Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, both focused on immunotherapy research and developmental therapeutics.

Dr. Chan will also collaborate with experts in the new Center for Global and Emerging Pathogens Research, which is focused on broadening understanding of immunology and microbial pathogenesis with the goal of improving treatment for a variety of diseases, including virus-induced cancers.

Immunotherapy is the future of research in cancer and various other diseases and Cleveland Clinic has made it a priority by establishing this new center, said Serpil Erzurum, M.D., chair of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute. The Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology will empower clinicians and scientists throughout the enterprise to advance personalized cancer care and breakthrough immunotherapy research at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Chan joins Cleveland Clinic from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell School of Medicine, where he leads the Immunogenomics and Precision Oncology Platform and was a tenured professor, the PaineWebber Chair, and the Translational Oncology Division chair. He is an internationally recognized expert in precision immuno-oncology and a pioneer in using genomics to determine which patients will respond best to certain types of immunotherapies. He has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has made landmark discoveries in his field, and has received numerous awards, including the National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award in 2018.

Innovation in precision immunotherapy is one of the most exciting areas in cancer research, said Brian Bolwell, M.D., chairman of Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center. The addition of Dr. Chan, a pioneer in cancer genomics, and the new centers focus on research and clinical trials will strengthen our ability to provide advanced treatment options for our patients.

Dr. Chan also joins the leadership of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Chan is also on staff in the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Lerner Research Institute; and the Department of Radiation Oncology of the Taussig Cancer Institute.

Dr. Chan earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in genetics from Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed a residency in radiation oncology and a postdoctoral fellowship in the division of tumor biology. He is board certified in radiation oncology and is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP).

Go here to read the rest:
Cleveland Clinic Appoints Timothy Chan, M.D., Ph.D., as Director of Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology - Health Essentials from...

Immunology

How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 – Task & Purpose

The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is pictured as it enters the port in Da Nang, Vietnam, March 5, 2020.

(Reuters/Kham)

SAN DIEGO An investigation by the Navy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the outbreak of the coronavirus on board the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt could yield data valuable not just to the military, but also to the greater scientific community in the race to better understand the virus, the Navy says.

The Roosevelt has been tied up in Guam for the last month as the virus spread throughout its crew.

More than 17% of the ships approximately 4,845 sailors have tested positive for the coronavirus 856 sailors. There are still a handful of results outstanding, the Navy said Friday.

Four sailors are in the hospital at Naval Base Guam. Another, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Charles Thacker, 41, died from the virus last week.

Since Monday, the Navy has been surveying members of the crew as part of its investigation. The Navy and CDC said previously they hoped to survey 1,000 sailors, obtaining saliva and blood tests.

Cmdr. Denver Applehans, a spokesman for the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, said in an email Friday the service asked 1,400 sailors to participate. The Navy fell well short of that goal.

We are very thankful to the roughly 400 crewmembers of the USS Theodore Roosevelt who provided specimens for this outbreak investigation, Applehans wrote in an email. Its worth noting that the USS Theodore Roosevelts crew has been impacted by this virus harder than any other military unit and there are many competing demands on the crew to get the ship clean and ready to return to sea. We cant overemphasize our appreciation for those who did volunteer.

The goal of the investigation, officials say, is to better understand the behavior of the virus and to apply those lessons to other Navy ships and military units.

The outbreak on the Roosevelt presents an opportunity to understand how the disease spreads in a relatively controlled environment, said Shane Crotty, a virologist and professor in the Vaccine Discovery Division at La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego.

Its really an outstanding opportunity to learn more, Crotty said. Thats the type of scenario a controlled environment, far fewer variables its the kind of situation epidemiologists love because of the minimization of variables. For my side, were very interested in understanding viral immunology the response (to the virus). In particular, how that would help vaccine development.

The development of an effective vaccine for the coronavirus is seen by many as key to getting life around the world back to normal. The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is leading an international effort to collect antibody samples, which are key in vaccine development.

Blood samples from the Roosevelt investigation will be tested at the CDCs laboratory in Atlanta using the agencys new serology test, which can identify antibodies and tell researchers whether a person has been exposed to the virus even if they are showing no symptoms.

On the Roosevelt, Applehans said, the rate of asymptomatic sailors testing positive for the virus is on the high end of what the CDC says can be expected in the general population.

Approximately 50% of the sailors who tested positive so far on the (Theodore Roosevelt) have not shown symptoms of COVID-19, Applehans said.

The CDC has said that roughly 25% of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic across all age groups. Given that the Sailors are generally younger and healthier than the general population across all age groups, 50% or even slightly above may be appropriate or expected.

Applehans said the Navy expects to gain more clarity on asymptomatic carriers and virus transmission through its ongoing outbreak investigations.

Among the questions Crotty has is whether asymptomatic people who test positive for the virus develop an immune response something the CDCs antibody test might reveal.

From my area in expertise, for us thinking about vaccine development and immunity, one missing piece is: Do asymptomatic cases develop immune responses or not? Crotty said. The blood tests on the sailors should reveal that pretty quickly.

That immune response one that effectively fights off the virus would tell researchers what an effective response looks like.

Right now there are over 80 different vaccine candidates, Crotty said. Once you have information in hand on what a good immune response looks like, it can help point out what vaccine strategy works. Thats really valuable information theyre going to have very high quality data about true asymptomatic cases.

On the Roosevelt, and unlike anywhere else with an outbreak, 100% of those potentially exposed to the virus have been tested. Although not all of the crew participated in the Navy and CDCs investigation, and the goal is not specifically for vaccine development, the Navy is hopeful its results are useful.

What this outbreak investigation will provide is some basic information about exposure to the virus aboard the ship and the development of antibodies from that exposure, Applehans said. We hope it is useful in providing some additional information on how this virus is transmitted.

In addition to the blood and saliva samples taken from sailors, officials also had volunteers fill out surveys, to track their locations on board the ship.

The Navys surgeon general, Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, said recently one of the goals of the investigation is to determine how much the virus spread without sailors showing symptoms.

Because of the pre-symptomatic transmission, we believe that it probably passed through the ship quite freely and was initially unrecognized, Gillingham said.

The Roosevelt pulled into Guam on March 28 as the virus spread out of control among its crew. It is the largest outbreak of the virus in the U.S. military.

The first two cases of the virus were found among two members of the ships air wing, a Navy official told the San Diego Union-Tribune. However, because the two cases came to light 15 days after a port visit to Vietnam, Gillingham could not say how the virus got on board.

He said that is not the intent of the investigation.

The intent of investigation is not to get to the source; its to better understand the behavior of the virus going forward, he said.

Other factors the Navy is learning about the virus came to light recently, as the service reported some quarantined sailors tested positive for the virus more than 14 days after testing negative.

Experts point to the virus long incubation period as being one of the key factors making its spread difficult to slow.

The Navy expected its survey of the crew to finish Friday. Results from the CDC are not due for at least one month.

2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Visit link:
How the USS Theodore Roosevelt outbreak could help scientists better fight COVID-19 - Task & Purpose

Immunology

When is allergy season? Symptoms and treatment for seasonal allergies – Insider – INSIDER

Allergies can happen year-round. But there is a time of year when about 8% of Americans experience the same allergy, nation-wide.

Here's what you need to know about allergy season, when it strikes, and how to prepare.

Allergy season often refers to a specific type of allergy, called allergic rhinitis (or hay fever), that can be triggered by pollen.

Trees, flowers, and grasses typically release pollen in the spring and summer months. However, certain allergies can also happen in the fall, like those caused by weeds.

It all depends on what type of plant you're allergic to and when that plant pollinates. Here's a breakdown of seasonal allergies during the spring, summer, and fall.

Tree pollination begins in February and lasts until June, and grass pollination starts in May and lasts until July.

"The first week of May, when grass pollen starts to surge, is the worst time overall because a lot of people who are allergic to tree pollen are also allergic to grass pollen," says Gary Stadtmauer, MD, FACP, a board-certified specialist in allergy-immunology and internal medicine at City Allergy.

You can also get an idea of how bad your spring allergies may be based on the prior winter.

"Tree pollen tends to be the worst, especially after a prolonged winter when lots of trees bloom in a short space of time," Stadtmauer says. "Unlike grass pollen, tree pollen can rain down thick and the layers can build up on surfaces like cars. Exposure increases dramatically and those who are allergic can have a profound surge in symptoms."

Tree and grass pollination lasts until June or July and ragweed pollination starts in August.

However, summer has generally been considered the least problematic season because plants release less pollen overall during this season.

"Spring has typically been the worst allergy season, and fall is more problematic than summer for those with weed allergies," says Clifford W. Bassett, MD, the founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.

The most common culprit for fall allergies is ragweed, a plant that grows especially on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Ragweed blooms and releases pollen from August to November, and pollen levels are highest in early to mid-September.

Another common trigger of fall allergies is mold spores. As leaves fall to the ground and other vegetation starts to die, mold can start to grow on that decaying material. The mold then releases spores into the air which can cause allergies for some, says Jay M. Portnoy, MD, director of the Allergy, Asthma & Immunology division at Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics.

Other plants that can trigger fall allergies include:

While the timing and severity of allergy season varies across the country, the following climate factors can influence exposure and symptoms:

Climate change has also increased the duration and severity of allergy seasons. "Tree pollen starts earlier, grass pollen extends further into the summertime, and we are seeing more severe ragweed seasons," says Stadtmauer.

The most common symptoms of seasonal allergies are:

If you're not sure what your symptoms are indicating, here's a helpful graphic to differentiate allergy symptoms from the coronavirus, flu, and common cold:

Shayanne Gal/Insider

To prepare for seasonal allergies, we asked Bassett for his tips on how to proactively reduce your exposure to pollen and manage your allergies:

See more here:
When is allergy season? Symptoms and treatment for seasonal allergies - Insider - INSIDER

Immunology

MSU researcher secures $2.5 million grant from National Institutes of Health – Explore Big Sky

MSU NEWS SERVICE

BOZEMAN Montana State University researcherBlake Wiedenheftis a recognized expert in one of todays hottest science fields, so its natural to wonder what discoveries may be in store now that he received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health earlier this year.

And because the NIHsMaximizing Investigators Research Awardis designed to provide flexibility to delve deeply into research that could generate breakthroughs, Wiedenheft himself is looking forward to seeing where the five-year funding will lead in his study of the complex interactions between bacteria and the viruses that attack them, with potential applications for treating COVID-19 and a wide range of other diseases.

An ideal outcome would be stumbling on something entirely unexpected, said Wiedenheft, associate professor in theDepartment of Microbiology and Immunologyin MSUsCollege of Agriculture. This grant really provides a new dimension of intellectual freedom for pursuing ideas as they evolve.

Dr. Wiedenhefts award is well-deserved and highly prestigious, said Jason Carter, MSUs vice president for research, economic development and graduate education. These MIRA grants are indicative of sustained, high-impact research by accomplished scientists.

The grant will allow Wiedenheft to significantly expand his labs capacity, adding up to six doctoral students, four postdoctoral researchers and a lab technician. Wiedenheft has made major contributions to the field in recent years, including high-profile papers in Science, Nature and other journals about CRISPR, the bacteria immune system that wields sophisticated molecules to grab and slice strands of invading viral DNA to render them harmless.

The grant is an impressive achievement for Blake, and it represents tremendous recognition within a very competitive field of science, said Montana University System Regents ProfessorMark Jutila, head of the microbiology and immunology department. His efforts in the study of CRISPR have had major impacts in the field as well as at MSU, in terms of mentoring and training students in the lab and teaching in the classroom.

Although CRISPR is often used as a general term for CRISPR-Cas9 and a few other proteins that have been repurposed for curing genetic disease, those CRISPR systems represent a very small fraction of bacterial immune systems found in nature, Wiedenheft said. CRISPRs are very diverse, and many perhaps most havent been studied in detail, he said.

The NIH grant will allow Wiedenhefts team to explore the frontier of CRISPRs and other immune systems in bacteria, which, scientists are increasingly finding, in many ways resemble those of more complex organisms, including humans.

Some of these immune systems are incredibly complicated, Wiedenheft said. To understand how they work and which parts are most important, we look to the viruses for help. Thats because viruses have often evolved elegant mechanisms to thwart the bacterial defense, he explained.In one recent study, Wiedenheft showed that a virus produced a protein molecule called an anti-CRISPR that mimics the CRISPRs alert system, creating a decoy that distracts the bacterias response.

Peering inside of bacteria with an extremely powerful microscope to see CRISPR molecules is a bit like encountering a complex machine like a car and trying to figure out how it works, Wiedenheft said. Because viral anti-CRISPRs target parts of the car that are important or vulnerable, a virus can point you directly to the ignition switch, or the gas pedal or the steering wheel, he said.

Viruses can teach us about the immune systems were studying, and sometimes even point us to new immune systems that we didnt even know about, Wiedenheft said. We anticipate that anti-CRISPRs, like CRISPRs themselves, are incredibly diverse. By understanding that diversity, we think well gain a much better understanding of how these immune systems work.

Recent trials with human patients have shown success with using CRISPR-Cas9 to treat and potentially cure sickle cell disease, a serious disorder affecting millions of people around the world. The CRISPR treatment involves surgically correcting a genetic defect by cutting the DNA and repairing it in a way that restores gene function. Diseases like sickle cell, Beta thalassemia and other blood diseases are the easiest to treat because the cells in blood are relatively easy to access. But many labs, including Wiedenhefts, are working to develop new treatment methods that direct the CRISPR-Cas9 treatment to specific cells within the body, according to Wiedenheft.

In responding to the coronavirus pandemic, some scientists have also repurposed other CRISPR proteins, Cas12 and Cas13, to rapidly diagnose COVID-19 in experimental medical tests yet another indication of the far-reaching potential of precisely mapping CRISPRs and developing an understanding of how they might be applied, according to Wiedenheft.

Wiedenheft is the second person at MSU to receive the NIHs Maximizing Investigators Research Award. Last year,Joan Broderick, professor in theDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistryin MSUsCollege of Letters and Science, won the five-year grant in the amount of $1.77 million for research on a large family of enzymes called radical SAMs.

The rest is here:
MSU researcher secures $2.5 million grant from National Institutes of Health - Explore Big Sky

Immunology

Infection Rate May Indicate a Future Diagnosis of Cancer – Cancer Network

In an article published inCancer Immunology Research, researchers suggested that immune suppression and increased infection could occur during the precancerous period.1

However, cancer can occur through a lifespan, therefore the authors indicated that further research is necessary to clarify these precancer trends.

"Cancer can develop in an inflammatory environment caused by infections, immunity disruption, exposure to chemical carcinogens, or chronic or genetic conditions,"co-author of the study Shinako Inaida, PhD, a visiting researcher at the Graduate School of Medicine at Kyoto University in Japan, said in a press release.2"An individual's immunity is thought to be a factor in the development of cancer, but additional research is needed to understand the relationship among precancerous immunity, infections, and cancer development.

In this 7-year case-control study of people 30 years of age, researchers looked to determine the prevalence of influenza, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and pneumonia infections to indirectly assess whether infections correlated to the formation of malignant cancer. Using data extracted from a large medical claims database of a Japanese social health insurance system, researchers identified 2,354 people with their first cancer diagnosis occurring in the seventh year of the study for the case group and 48,395 people with no cancer diagnosis by the seventh year of the study for the control group.

The most common cancers diagnosed in the case group were digestive and gastrointestinal, head and neck, and stomach cancers. Other cancer types diagnosed in the case group included cancers within the following categories:

The yearly prevalence rates of influenza, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and pneumonia infections were found to increase throughout the study period, with the case group experiencing higher rates of infection compared to the control group. Moreover, age-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in cases 1 year before cancer detection were significantly higher. During this year, the infection prevalence rates for the case group were higher than the control group by 18% for influenza (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.46), 46.1% for gastroenteritis (OR. 1.60; 95% CI, 1.41-1.82), 232.1% for hepatitis (OR, 3.38; 95% CI, 2.12-5.37), and 135.9% for pneumonia (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.79-3.13).

In patients with influenza infections, significant ORs were found only in the second and sixth years before cancer diagnosis. Further, for each cancer site, an increased rate of infection prior to cancer diagnosis was observed.

The researchers also found that certain infections appeared to have a greater correlation with specific cancer types. For example, the odds of influenza infection just before cancer detection were highest for those who developed male germ cell cancers. Additionally, the odds of pneumonia were found to be highest in those who later developed stomach cancer and the odds of hepatitis infection were highest in those who developed hematologic, blood, bone, or bone marrow cancers.

"Interestingly, we found that infection afflicting a specific organ did not necessarily correlate with increased risk of cancer in the same organ," Inaida explained.

Notably, the researchers only extracted the first cancer diagnosis for each patient and given that the observation period was limited to 8 years, further cancer diagnoses may have been missed. The data also did not include information such as the grade or stage of tumors, which may have been important to estimating each precancerous period.

Another limitation highlighted by the researchers was that patients with infection who did not visit the hospital may have been overlooked. Moreover, influenza vaccination status may prevent infection, although a patient's influenza vaccination record was not available in for this dataset.

Patients who feel unwell, potentially because of cancerous status, tend to see doctors more often, the authors wrote. Although our study considered four major infections, analysis of other infections and the timing of infection before malignant cancer detection, which can potentially be a factor for later cancer development, remains to be studied.

References:

1. Inaida S, Matsuno S. Previous Infection Positively Correlates to the Tumor Incidence Rate of Patients with Cancer.Cancer Immunology Research.doi:10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-19.0510.

2. Increased rate of infections may indicate a future cancer diagnosis [news release]. American Association for Cancer Research. Published April 17, 2020. eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-04/aafc-iro041520.php. Accessed April 17, 2020.

The rest is here:
Infection Rate May Indicate a Future Diagnosis of Cancer - Cancer Network

Immunology

Antibodies of COVID-19 patients may teach scientists how to protect others – BSA bureau

Some severely ill coronavirus patients have already been treated on an experimental basis with the blood plasma of recovered patients

Dr. Ziv Shulman of the Department of Immunology at the Weizmann Institute of Science says that the blood of coronavirus patients who have fully recovered from the disease contains a blueprint for building a molecule that may accelerate others recovery, or possibly form the basis of a vaccine.

Some severely ill coronavirus patients have already been treated on an experimental basis with the blood plasma of recovered patients, which is teeming with antibodies against the virus. But this method is unlikely to offer a large-scale method of treatment or prevention, as it depends on plasma donations from recovered patients, alone. In contrast, synthetic antibodies could be produced in large amounts by pharmaceutical companies and they are relatively safe.

Dr. Shulman is an expert in the part of the immune response in which certain antibodies the bodys memory of infection and protection against reinfection are produced and processed. This is the adaptive immune responsethe mechanism by which the bodys immune system recognizes specific invading microbes and reacts with both short-term and long-term antibodies.

He and his lab were the first in the world to visualize all of the antibody-forming cells in intact lymph nodesthe organs where immune cells improve antibody efficiency through a series of mutations. This achievement, which shed new light on the how, what, when, and where of the production of protective antibodies, revealed the lymph node nichespockets in which antibodies undergo rigorous selection, so that only the most fit are sent off to target and bind to invading pathogens.

This and other research in Shulmans lab has identified and characterized the training process that immune cells undergo, providing an unprecedented level of detail about the step-by-step process by which the bodys immune system optimizes its adaptive, protective response.

These findings and the expertise they have gained will now be directed toward the production and optimization of antibodies that will target one invader in particular: the COVID-19 virus.

Fully trained and certified in biosafety proceduresa must for coronavirus researchDr. Shulman and his team are in the process of establishing an experimental platform for handling samples from convalescent coronavirus patients.

Telltale signs

Together with Dr. Ron Diskin from the Department of Structural Biology, and clinicians, Dr. Shulman has obtained access to patients who have fully recovered from the coronavirus. These patients have volunteered to let the scientists examine their blood for telltale signs of antibodies generated in response to the coronavirus.

The Shulman team plans to use DNA sequencing and other techniques to clone the patients antibody-encoding genes and then reproduce them in the lab. This will allow them to identify the antibodies that are most effective in binding and neutralizing the viral proteins.

Dr. Shulman says, Patients who have been infected by the coronavirus and recovered hold the cure for the disease. By reproducing antibodies that target and neutralize viral proteins, it may be possible to use them to treat patients who suffer from severe symptoms. In addition, antibody injections might be used as a prophylactic treatmenta passive vaccinethat would protect medical staff from coronavirus infection.

Dr. Shulman is supported by the Azrieli Foundation, the Sir Charles Clore Research Prize, the Comisaroff Family Trust, the Lowy Foundation, theMorris Kahn Institute for Human Immunology,the Gerald O. Mann Charitable Foundation, the Moross Integrated Cancer Center, the David M. Polen Charitable Trust, andRising Tide Foundation

Read the original post:
Antibodies of COVID-19 patients may teach scientists how to protect others - BSA bureau

Immunology

Flagsticks, handshakes and masks: Infectious disease experts clarify coronavirus risks, say golf ranks as one of the safest sports" – Golf Digest

One thing about a pandemic in the digital age is theres no shortage of information. Its the good information that has been more elusive, and that extends to our understanding of the coronavirus in a golf setting. Can you get the virus from even walking past another golfer? Is there danger in reaching into the hole for your ball? Should we be playing while wearing masks?

In consulting a series of infectious disease specialists, all of whom are still learning more about the virus themselves, several consistent themes emerge. The good news? Golf is relatively safe, especially during a time when so much else seems rife with hazard. Golf has got to be one of the safest sports under the current circumstances, said Dr. Charles G. Prober, a professor of pediatrics (infectious diseases) and of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.

But since nothing is without risk these days, we put a series of common golf-specific questions to three experts, Dr. Prober of Stanford, Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Senior Scholar at Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Health Security, and Dr. J. Trees Ritter, DO, Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America. Their responses should help you understand what should and shouldnt be off limits, and where uncertainty remains. Above all, they might provide assurance that a golf course, navigated properly, can still be a refuge.

Can I contract the virus just walking by other golfers at the course?

This you shouldnt sweat. Though the virus main form of transmission is through person-to-person contact, all three experts emphasized just walking by other players on the course or in the parking lot was not a significant risk. The virus doesnt teleport from one person to another. It has to have some mechanism to get there, Adalja said. Yes, an infected golfer could emit respiratory droplets by sneezing or coughing in your direction, but thats why the doctors all cited the now-standard practice of maintaining a six-foot gap as a precaution. More is better, but these respiratory droplets really dont spread much more than spitting distance, Dr. Ritter said. When youre outside, the risk is even lower. Of course, the most important advice in this context is to tell anyone who is sick or symptomatic to stay home.

What if Im sharing a golf cart with someone?

No question sitting within close proximity of someone for 18 holes invites more risk than walking a sufficient distance apart, which is why many courses are temporarily restricting the use of carts, or at least limiting their usage to one person per cart. Although the experts say riding in a cart is not a significant risk, they do acknowledge it violates the six-foot rule. Additionally, they say golfers sharing carts sends the wrong message at a time when caution is still paramount. While it maybe isnt a huge risk, there are other factors to consider, Ritter said. Its better to be pretty rigid up front on what people can and cannot do just to keep them in that mindset.

The other variable when using a golf cart is touching a surface, like a steering wheel, that someone else has touched before you, a risk that courses can mitigate by sanitizing their vehicles between uses. If not, the experts advocated two other steps that youre surely familiar with by now: 1. Dont touch your face. 2. Wash your hands. And since washing your hands is not always an option in the middle of a course, an alcohol-based (at least 60 percent alcohol) hand sanitizer might be as valuable in your bag these days as an adjustable driver.

Speaking of touching stuff, my golf course says not to touch the flagstick or rake a bunker? Is that really a danger?

Danger is probably overstating it. Prober calls flagsticks an extraordinarily ineffective way to get the disease, because infection depends on a rare confluence of circumstances: someone sick contaminating the flagstick, the virus persisting on the flagstick despite exposure to ultraviolet light (which is believed to reduce the viability of the virus on a surface), then you touching the exact same part of the flagstick and ultimately your face. So in other words a lot has to happen, and the same can be said for rakes. But again, theres always a chance. Any type of touched surface has the potential for transmission, Adalja said, which is why he said, the same rules apply: If you touch something someone else touched, better to wash your hands and not touch your face.

How about reaching into a golf hole to get my ball?

There will be very minimal risk in those types of situations, Adalja said. You can dream up any kind of odd situation where the virus transmits in these special circumstances, but that wouldnt be something I would be worried about. Similarly, there isnt much use worrying about your putter clanking against someone elses putter if thats your new form of celebration. So much of what we talk about is that its all possible, but its pretty improbable many of these implied scenarios would result in infection, Ritter said.

Should I be playing golf with a mask?

As in society as a whole, consensus around masks is elusive. But our experts were skeptical of masks helping, especially as a defense mechanism. Masks are not really to protect you, but to protect other people, Adalja said. Also, Prober said, masks risk doing more harm than good because people tend to adjust them frequently. So theyre probably got their hands on their face more, including their eyes and their nose, he said.

What about a handshake?

Again, if the cardinal rule is to maintain distance, then handshakes need to be avoided. And if for some reason muscle memory takes over and you revert to old habits, you can probably guess what the doctors recommend. If youre going to shake hands with someone, Adalja said, you need to wash your hands.

GOLF + THE CORONAVIRUS: Is playing golf safe during the crisis? | How clubs/courses are adjusting | State-by-state breakdown of where golf is allowed and where it isn't | Golf's governing bodies release a newand tentativeschedule | PGA Tour announces plans to resume play in June, unveils modified 2020 schedule | No fans, plenty of questions: What a scaled-down PGA Tour event looks like | Complete list of pro/amateur tournaments canceled or postponed | How meditation can help your coronavirus anxiety | In praise of playing golf alone | 10 timelyand timelessgolf books to take your mind off the real world

View original post here:
Flagsticks, handshakes and masks: Infectious disease experts clarify coronavirus risks, say golf ranks as one of the safest sports" - Golf Digest